Soap



M. WIMMER Sept. 14, 1965 SOAP Filed June 13, 1962 Mark fl/l'mmer INVENTOR. l

United States Patent 3,206,152 SOAP Mack Wimmer, 2.002 Waikiki Way, Tampa, Fla. Filed June 13, 1962, Ser. No. 202,276 3 Claims. (Cl. 248-359) This invention relates to soap and like solid cleansing devices, particularly for the body, and is concerned with methods of and means for supporting or suspending soap in a convenient position for use, and .one which will alleviate the support of the soap by a fixed soap tray or holder. The invention not only eliminates the requirement for such a tray or holder, but avoids the deterioration of the soap when supported in such tray or holder, usually in association with moisture which tends to melt the soap and gradually erodes same.

While certain aspects of the present inventive concept are broadly applicable to soaps and detergents or like cleansing devices, for both household as well as for personal use, the invention as here shown and in its preferred embodiment, provides for the suspension of body soaps by a flexible and elastic means, whereby the soap is conveniently available for use and by which when not in use, the soap may be suspended free of contact with any fixed surface whereby it may be deteriorated through the accumulation of moisture adjacent such surface. While it is recognized that soaps have been provided with flexible cords by which they may be suspended from a fixed object in the vicinity of their use, or suspended from a person while bathing, soap is not believed to have previously been provided with elastic means for such support or suspension, so that by a stretch of the supporting and suspending means, it may be readily available for use either on a person or to adjacent objects and automatically returned to suspended position after release of tension on the flexible support. Further, by the provision of an elastic loop, the soap may be retained on a person, as by encirclement of the wrist of the user, thus to be readily available but easily disassociated from the user.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that the primary object of the invention is to provide a new article of manufacture, including a soap .or like detergent or cleansing material with elastic means for suspending or supporting the same. It is likewise an object of the invention to provide a cake of soap with an elastic loop which may be fitted about the wrist or arm of the user and readily disengaged therefrom. Another object of the invention is to provide an elastic suspension means for a cake of soap and/or for an enclosure for soap in the nature of a bag from which the soap may be disseminated. Another object ,of the invention is to provide a cake of soap with an elongated elastic member by which it may be suspended from an object such as a shower head or like bathing facility, whereby upon stretching of the elastic, the soap may be brought in contact as desired by the user and which when released will return to its suspended position free of contact with such bathing facility. Numerous other objects, features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from consideration of the following specification taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, in which FIG. 1 illustrates a cake of soap with an elongate elastic flexible member, the one end of which is embedded in the soap, while a loop at the other end may be positioned about a convenient bathing facility.

FIG. 2 is an illustration of that form of the invention in which a solid member is embedded within a cake of soap to which there is secured a flexible elastic band to be conveniently positioned about the users wrist or the like,

FIG. 3 illustrates that form of the invention which embodies a cloth receptacle for the soap in association with an elastic band or cord, and

FIG. 4 illustrates that form of the invention in which the elastic member passes through the soap and extends at one end to provide a loop for encirclement about the wrist, and at the other end an extended loop which may be otherwise secured to a convenient facility.

Referring now to FIGURE 1 of the drawings, it will be seen that a conventional cake of soap is indicated by the numeral 10. Within the cake of soap 10 there is embedded the undulate end 11 of a flexible and elastic strand 12, here shown as broken away to indicate that the length of the strand may be indeterminate and dictated by the circumstances and the will of the designer. At the freeouter extremity of the strand 12, a loop 13 is provided, which may be conveniently placed about the pipe 14 of a shower head, as indicated at 15. It will, of course, be understood that this is merely by way of illustration and that the loop 14 may be located about any desired and convenient facility, as for instance a faucet of a tub or basin or positioned about the wrist of the user. It will be recognized that in the use of this form of the invention, a stretch of the strand 12 will provide for the application of the soap to body extremities, and with release thereof, the soap will be suspended in a manner free from contact with bathing facilities without the necessity of a soap tray or dish, and that in such free suspension in the air, the soap will not be subjected to a continuous depletion due to moisture contact.

In that form of the invention shown in FIGURE 2, the cake of soap is indicated by the numeral 20 and the soap has embedded therein a solid element 21 perforated at one end as indicated at 22 to receive therethrough an elastic loop 23. While the particular form .of the solid element 22 is not critical, it is here shown as in oval form and may be of lightweight, inexpensive, plastic material which may contribute to flotation of the cake of soap 20. Since the element 21 is embedded deep within the outlines of the cake 20, it will be seen that a permanent location .of the loop 21 is provided in association with the soap, so that throughout its life the cake may be suspended by the loop 23. The loop 23 is in this instance of limited length and being elastic, as in the case of the strand 12 of FIGURE 1, may be readily engaged over a limb of the user to be readily accessible at all times, but easily removed after use.

In that form of the invention shown in FIGURE 3, an elastic strand 30 is provided with a terminal loop 31. The strand 30 is attached to a fabric bag 32 which may be readily opened in the manner indicated by the dotted lines shown, and in which may be inserted a cake of soap as indicated at 33. After insertion of the soap, the bag may be closed as indicated by the full lines of FIG- URE 3, and thus be suspended from the elastic strand 30, as in the manner referred to with respect to FIGURE 1, or the loop may be placed about the users wrist. In connection with the material of the bag 32, it is not critical so long as it is adequately pervious to permit water to enter the bag and dissolve the soap as it passes therefrom. However, a net bag of substantially wide mesh is considered desirable.

In that form of the invention shown in FIGURE 4, an endless re-entrant elastic strand 40 is shown as passing through the cake of soap 41 to form a short closed loop 42 at one end of the cake of soap and an elongate loop 43 at the opposite end. Thus, the loop 42 may be used ot snugly receive the arm or wrist of the user while the longer loop 43 may be used to suspend the soap freely from a fixed .object as in the manner of the suspension of the soap 10 in FIGURE 1, from a shower head or the like.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that the various Patented Sept. 14, 1965' forms of the present invention are all designed to provide for an elastic flexible member for supporting a cake of soap to dispose the soap in a ready position for use so that the soap may be applied as desired to the body or to articles such as dishes, kitchenware, or the like, and that the invention provides for the suspension .of the soap when not in use, free from contact with facilities which would tend to subject the soap to deterious moisture and thus erosion.

It will, of course, be understood that the invention is not limited nor confined to this specific structural embodiment here presented. It is further to be understood that the invention is not limited to the material of the elastic means provided for the soap nor is the size, shape or configuration of the soap a critical feature of the present invention. Thus in the practice of the invention, numerous changes, modifications and the full use of equivalents may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention, as outlined in the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. In combination, a cake of soap, an elastic strand, means attaching one end ,of said elastic strand to said soap, means at the other end of said strand for securement thereof to a fixed member at an elevated position above the floor of a personal shower area and at about head level of an adult person standing in said area, said strand being long and elastic enough to enable a showering adult person to reach distal parts of the body with said soap for washing, yet short and resilient to support said soap in elevated position above said floor when said soap is not being used.

2. The invention as defined in claim 1 wherein said elastic strand is in the form of a re-entrant loop extending from one side of said soap, and wherein said securement means comprises the bight at the outer end of said loop.

3. The invention as defined in claim 2 whereinsaid strand comprises a comparatively short loop portion extending from the .other side of said soap, said short loop portion being of such length as to fit stretchingly over the hand of an adult person for removable attachment to the wrist.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,319,847 5/43 Clanton 206-.5 FOREIGN PATENTS 232,377 8/44 Switzerland.

FRANK B. SHERRY, Primary Examiner. 

1. IN COMBINATION, A CAKE OF SOAP, AN ELASTIC STRAND, MEANS ATTACHING ONE END OF SAID ELASTIC STRAND TO SAID SOAP, MEANS AT THE OTHER END OF SAID STRAND FOR SECUREMENT THEREOF TO A FIXED MEMBER AT AN ELEVATED POSITION ABOVE THE FLOOR OF A PERSONAL SHOWER AREA AND AT ABOUT HEAD LEVEL OF AN ADULT PERSON STANDING IN SAID AREA, SAID STRAND BEING LONG AND ELASTIC ENOUGH TO ENABLE A SHOWERING ADULT PERSON TO REACH DISTAL PARTS OF THE BODY WITH SAID SOAP FOR WASHING, YET SHORT AND RESILIENT TO SUPPORT SAID SOAP IN ELEVATED POSITION ABOVE SAID FLOOR WHEN SAID SOAP IS NOT BEING USED. 